The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-09-21
John Sherman in an Earnest
Effort Compares the Two
Great Parties.
The Ohio Senator Reiterates i'm
Vigorous Language Points in
His Springfield Speech.
Shameless Record OF the Democratic
Party from 1860 to Date
Pointed Out.
Speech OF Hon. John Sherman, De-
livered at Wilmington, o.,
September ID.

man Club accept with much pleasure your
invitation TO make my opening speech in this
canvass in this good county Of Clinton. You
have always been kind and partial to me. You
have supported me by your votes and the votes
OF your Representatives in the Legislature of
Ohio In five successive elections for the Senate
OF the United States and your young men have
now complimented me by the use OF my name
In the organization OF your Republican club.
For all these marks OF your goodwill
owe you my heartfelt thanks. recog
nize in you community OF independent
ana intelligent farmers, firmly attached to
the Republican party, asking nothing OF
your public servants but faithful and hon.
est performance OF public duties. You have q
right, therefore to expect from me a fair and
truthful statement of tho reasons for the faith
we share In the principles and policy OF the
Republican party in preference to all other
parties, under whatever name they are organ
lied, and especially OF the Democratic party.
which for more than thirty years has contested
with the Republican party for political power,
both in Ohio and in the United States.
We ought not to ignore the claims OF political
organizations who are protesting against both
the great national parties OF our country, be-
cause they are comparatively few in number
and limited to a single object or principle II
is the right and duty OF any body OF American
citizens TO seek 10y association Co accomplish
any measure they think will advance the pub
lic interests, and often by their zeal they COM
pei attention to just measure and reforms, but
usually succeed only in defeating the party
most in sympathy with them. This has been
the effect and still is the tendency Of
the Prohibition Party No , fair man will
done more, and, from its composition and
tendencies, viii do more for the cause OF
temperance than the Democratic party will or
can do The Dow law, placed by it on the stat
utes of Ohio, is more effective measure in
restraining and lessening the evils that flow
Prom the liquor traffic than any other measure
proposed by either party The leaders OF the
Prohibition party know full well that every
measure tending to promote prohibition or the
restraint OF the liquor traffic has been and will
be opposed by the Democratic party, party
whose success in Ohio for four years has been
given 10 it by those who sell and by those who
consume spirituous liquors. And yet our Pro-
hibtion friends aim all their shafts at the Re-
publican party and act as allies OF the Demo
cratic party.
1 know aud respect the strong and growing
feeling in Ohio against intcmperance and the
saloon influence, and believe the Republicans
of Ohio, and OF Clinton County, will cheerfully
aid in passing and enforcing all just and rea-
sonable measures against these evils, but this
can best be done through existing parties, If
temperance men would only make their influ-
ence felt as members OF both the great parties
for both OF these parties contain good temper
ance men, the great reform they propose would
be more advanced than by separate action for
extreme measures, which experience shows
can not and will not be enforced in large cities
and towns. And so of tho Labor Party.
II there is any just and practical measure Of
public policy that will tend to advance the in
terests OF labor, or laboring men, the Republican
party is now, and has been, ready and willing
TO adopt it. Every measure in their interest in
the statutes of Ohio and Of the United States,
has been put there by the Republican party.
Tho homestead law the eght-hour law the
contract emigrant law, and that great system
of public policy TO protect their labor from
undue competition by protective duties OH inn
ported goods have been the work OF the Re-
publican party. The statute books of Ohio are
full of laws to protect their homes and house.
hold effects, to guard them III the mines and
workshops to secure their wages by lien and
preference laws, to restrain the employment OF
Infants and women The last Republican Leg
islature passed many laws for their benefit
ask them to point out when and where the Re-
%
laboring men. Our long struggle for thirty
4 years has been to secure every mans liberty
4 and equal rights. 1t is only when socialists
seek to strike down all the rules OF social order
Witch dignity the homes Of poor and rich alike,
or when communists seek 70 enjoy the prop
erty acquired by the honest labor OF Others or
when anarchists seek TO tear down all the in
stitutions of modern civilization that the Re-
publican party, rs the conservative party OF the
country resists their demands. These men are
criminals, and not aborers. Tney dishonor the
word laborer--the laborer only seeks the free
ana full enjoyment of the profits of his labor,
and will neither rob nor steal his neighbor 8
And so, fellow-citzens, might review other
parties, societies, and organizations. There is
no objection for any number OF men to asso-
ciate for any lawful purpose in any company
or association. The modern world is full OF
such. Their name is infinite. AS rule they
are useful and only bad when their purpose is
bad. But, after all, there can be only two
great political organizations in free country,
though in France and England, there may
be wings and shades OF opinion within party,
as there are divisions and brigades in u great
army
The Republican and Democratic parties ma
turally divide the people of the United States
into opposing forces. Most men will be salts
fed TO belong tn one or tho other, though not
agreeing entirely with either. And these par
ties are not to be tested by what they promise,
but by what they do; and not entirely by what
they have done, but what they will do. And IL
Is by these tests the Republican party is al
ways willing TO DO tried. It is not afraid Of its
past for that includes the most successful and
honorable achievements in peace or in war that
1t has been the good fortune OF any party IL
accomplish. What man among our Demo-
cratic friends would dare compare the acts,
sayings and doings OF the Democratic
marty it's Northern and Southern wings for the
last thirty years with the acts, sayings, and
doings Of the Republican party? IL is from
such comparison they instinctively shrink
It was for making that comparison at spring.
field I'll, the home Of Abraham Lincoln, that
was arraigned by our Democratic friends
North and South for waving the bloody shirt
It was a bloody shirt nc is a sham eless
- recofd. The fight for slavery the rebellion and
its fearful losses, the course Of the Copper
heads in the North, the riots in New York City
the Knights of the Golden Circle II
Indiana, the fearful crimes OF the Ku
klux Klans, tho cheating General Grant
out OF the vote OF New York In lsJs
the Mississippi plan, the solid South, 1850, 0OC
of legal voters deprived Of their franchise
wherever their votes would count the election
of Cleveland-it was bloody shirt. But die
any man answer this arraignnent? Did state
one single thing as n fact that was not true
But some say let Dy-gones DO Dy-gOnes. 80 DC
IT. Certain tenderfeet are afraid i might hur
some ones feelings; that should banisl
this word rebel" from vocabulary; tina
we should take the new South with Republi
cans, white and black, counted on
and say nothing We must become &c
customed to tho restoration of tn
old regime as Cromwells Roundhead
became accustomed to the court sof Kim
Charles. We must surrender our captured flag
TO the rebels who bore them. Our Grand Arm!
bows now bent and gray must march undo
the new flag, under the flag OF Grover Cleve
land or not hold their camp fires in St Louis
This is the gospel OF Democracy and Mug
wumpism.
Let u.s. then. take the Democratic party as
Ia. revived regenerated, and disenthralled
forqetful of the past and what does IL promise
of hone or glory for the nation or the Stat
~ Ohio in the future? What claim has IL OF
anybody In this law-abidng, patriotic com
mnnity?
n Won look 20 it's recent policy in Ohio, and es
pecially during the admin lstration Of Governo
Hoadly you will find IL came into powe
by pledges never performed and unnatura
alliances. It found in the State treasury, undo
the careful management Of Governor Foster,
large surplus applicable TO the payment OF Tn
state debt. This was wasted and frittere
away and when their brief terro Of power end
cd there was n large deficit In the revenue q
the state which had 10 be made good by loar
The expenses Of our public charities were IN